Did you know that, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average homeowner pays just south of $400 a summer to run their family heating and cooling system? Unfortunately, heating and cooling systems prices for running your system through the summer is only set to increase as energy becomes more costly. For many, the cost is unavoidable. After all, with summers increasingly hotter and people needing to stay cool for their health, what else can you do but pay for your heating and cooling service?
While it’s true that many of the costs associated with home air conditioning systems are unavoidable, the truth is that with a little resourcefulness and an eye toward eco-friendly practices, you can still enjoy the comfort of home air conditioning systems, without the huge bills through the summer months.
Three Tips for Keeping Your Home Cool on a Budget
- Consider Energy Efficient Windows
As Better Homes and Gardens writes, energy efficient windows can go along way in reducing your energy bill for your home air conditioning systems from month to month. Energy efficient windows use layers of inert gases between panes of glass and tight fitting seals to make sure no air goes in or out of your home, unless you open your windows.
- Choose High-Efficiency Heating and Cooling Systems
Although air conditioning units do have a bit of a bad reputation as being naturally terrible as far as energy consumption and eco-friendliness goes, Energy Star points out that many options, from window units to HVAC, are now Energy Star-rated. This means you can get the same amount of cooling power at 15% lower energy costs.
- Install Some Kind of Shading Near Your Windows
Although the sun is a welcome sight after an especially long winter, the fact is that too much sunlight can boost your energy bills through the roof. When sunlight comes through your windows, it brings with it radiation that heats the air in your home. For WebMD, fixing this problem is as simple as planting shrubbery outside your windows or installing awnings to shade your windowed rooms from the sun.
What other tricks do you use to keep your utility bills low when running home air conditioning systems in the summer months? Let us know in the comment section below! Learn more about this topic here.